Speaker
Description
The OPERA experiment at the Gran Sasso underground laboratory has
recently established nu_mu -> nu_tau oscillations in appearance mode
with a significance of 5.1 sigma thanks to the observation of five
signal candidate events in a sample with a signal-to-background ratio
of about ten.
The nu_tau data analysis will be discussed, with emphasis on the
background constraints obtained by using dedicated data-driven control
samples. The analysis of the nu_mu->nu_e channel, formerly based on the
first two years of run, has been extended over the full data set with
a more than twofold increase in statistics. The implications of the tau
neutrino and electron neutrino samples in the framework of the 3+1 sterile
model will be discussed.
The Collaboration is also focusing on the
characterization of nu_tau-like interactions failing the kinematical
analysis defined in the experiment proposal to obtain a statistically
enhanced, lower purity, signal sample. One such interesting neutrino
interaction with a double vertex topology will be presented.
Finally, topics in the analysis of the OPERA cosmic ray sample will
be covered.
Summary
The results achieved by the OPERA experiment at the Gran Sasso underground laboratory are reviewed and updated.
